Prevalence and factors associated with severe depressive symptoms in older West African people living with HIV
Background: Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in people living with HIV (PLHIV). Depression has a negative impact on both mental and physical health and is mainly associated with suboptimal HIV treatment outcomes. To encourage successful aging and the achievement of the 3x90 objectives in older PLHIV, the psychological domain must not be neglected. In this context and as data are scarce in West Africa, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and the factors associated with severe depressive symptoms in older PLHIV living in West Africa.
Methods: Data from PLHIV aged ≥50 years and on ART since ≥6 months were collected in three clinics (two in Côte d’Ivoire, one in Senegal) participating in the West Africa International epidemiological Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) collaboration. The severity of depressive symptoms was measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D), and associated factors were identified using logistic regressions.
Results: The median age of the 334 PLHIV included in the study was 56.7 (53.5-61.1), 57.8% were female, and 87.1% had an undetectable viral load. The prevalence of severe depressive symptoms was 17.9% [95% Confidence Interval (95%CI): 13.8 - 22.0]. PLHIV with severe depressive symptoms were more likely to be unemployed (adjusted Odd Ratio (aOR)=2.8; 95%CI: 1.4-5.7), and to be current or former tobacco smokers (aOR=2.6; 95% CI: 1.3-5.4) but were less likely to be overweight or obese (aOR=0.4; 95%CI: 0.2-0.8).
Conclusions: The prevalence of severe depressive symptoms is high among older PLHIV living in West Africa. Unemployed PLHIV and tobacco smokers should be seen as vulnerable and in need of additional support. Further studies are needed to describe in more details the reality of the aging experience for PLHIV living in SSA. The integration of screening and management of depression in the standard of care of PLHIV is crucial.
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Posted 10 Aug, 2020
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On 26 Aug, 2020
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Prevalence and factors associated with severe depressive symptoms in older West African people living with HIV
Posted 10 Aug, 2020
On 10 Sep, 2020
Received 26 Aug, 2020
On 26 Aug, 2020
Received 16 Aug, 2020
On 05 Aug, 2020
Invitations sent on 04 Aug, 2020
On 04 Aug, 2020
On 03 Aug, 2020
On 02 Aug, 2020
On 02 Aug, 2020
On 02 Jun, 2020
Received 01 Jun, 2020
Received 23 May, 2020
On 21 May, 2020
On 02 May, 2020
Invitations sent on 06 Mar, 2020
On 05 Mar, 2020
On 04 Mar, 2020
On 04 Mar, 2020
On 20 Feb, 2020
Background: Depression is one of the most common psychiatric disorders in people living with HIV (PLHIV). Depression has a negative impact on both mental and physical health and is mainly associated with suboptimal HIV treatment outcomes. To encourage successful aging and the achievement of the 3x90 objectives in older PLHIV, the psychological domain must not be neglected. In this context and as data are scarce in West Africa, this study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and the factors associated with severe depressive symptoms in older PLHIV living in West Africa.
Methods: Data from PLHIV aged ≥50 years and on ART since ≥6 months were collected in three clinics (two in Côte d’Ivoire, one in Senegal) participating in the West Africa International epidemiological Databases to Evaluate AIDS (IeDEA) collaboration. The severity of depressive symptoms was measured using the Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale (CES-D), and associated factors were identified using logistic regressions.
Results: The median age of the 334 PLHIV included in the study was 56.7 (53.5-61.1), 57.8% were female, and 87.1% had an undetectable viral load. The prevalence of severe depressive symptoms was 17.9% [95% Confidence Interval (95%CI): 13.8 - 22.0]. PLHIV with severe depressive symptoms were more likely to be unemployed (adjusted Odd Ratio (aOR)=2.8; 95%CI: 1.4-5.7), and to be current or former tobacco smokers (aOR=2.6; 95% CI: 1.3-5.4) but were less likely to be overweight or obese (aOR=0.4; 95%CI: 0.2-0.8).
Conclusions: The prevalence of severe depressive symptoms is high among older PLHIV living in West Africa. Unemployed PLHIV and tobacco smokers should be seen as vulnerable and in need of additional support. Further studies are needed to describe in more details the reality of the aging experience for PLHIV living in SSA. The integration of screening and management of depression in the standard of care of PLHIV is crucial.
Figure 1